I:
The convergence of telecommunications, multimedia and wireless technologies creates the demand for robust, modular, and wideband devices which serve the needs of users (especially business users) for extended (ubiquitous) wireless access across several geographic “campuses”, ease of access to any wireless network, consistent look and feel across networks, and broadband access to new services. As more wireless devices access the Internet than PCs, users will demand more functionality and capability from those devices.
An End User Device, “EUD” (e.g. Mobile Station (MS) or Handset) provides user access to any wireless (e.g. cellular or wireless LANs) communications network. This takes the form of voice, data/internet access, and multimedia. Access to the wireless network's full features and services is limited by the capabilities of this end user device. As today's systems become more complex and integrated, the EUD is a critical component to unlocking network functionality and providing seamless, streamlined, and effortless access to emerging wireless services.
Current networks often require new devices for each technology in disparate wireless (e.g. cellular) networks. Recent implementations of EUDs have given way to re-configurable devices which change their profiles through the use of programmable radios and multiband antennas. A Software Defined Radio (SDR) is specified in the industry as a radio providing multiple modulation techniques and frequency ranges in narrow or wide-band operation under software control. The radios can adapt to multiple networks and are “configurable” (software configurable) to one Common Air Interface (CAI) protocol at a time. Historically, this approach has been used for military applications and was expensive on a per-subscriber basis. Power constraints in the handset (end user device) often limited the technology to Base Station (BS) or Access Point (AP) applications. Recent technology advances have made this a viable approach for today's wireless devices.
SDRs generally integrate the “inner” and “outer” communications functions into a single chipset which forms so-called “single-chip radios” or “single-chip devices”. These devices function from a single point of program control. The “outer” communications functions drive the signal processing to the antenna and the “inner” communications functions drive the signal processing inward toward the baseband processing.
GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) networks provide a fundamental ability to define personalities for their devices through the use of SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards. The technology of SIM cards provides a central location in the GSM end user device (e.g. mobile station) for defining its personality. User specific and personalized parameters are created, updated and stored in individual SIM cards, allowing the end user device to operate in any GSM network regardless of geographic location. The SIM card authenticates the end user device to the cellular (wireless) network by providing user-specific parameters that uniquely identify the device (and the user) in its environment. Changing SIM cards allows the user to don a new identity in the network. While traveling between networks, particularly in Europe where GSM is the predominant network, users are not required to carry multiple phones and register in multiple networks. Instead, they carry multiple SIM cards to augment their device's personality in different environments.
The registration of an end user device in multiple networks requires an understanding of the mobility management techniques used in today's wireless communications networks. The essential components of mobility management are user authentication and location update (registration) of the end user device (e.g. mobile station). These concepts are rooted in the establishment of a “home” area defined by the customer's wireless service provider. Once subscribed, the entries in the wireless service provider's database establish the home network for the user. The mobility management systems utilize locational databases which hold the necessary information to authenticate, register and locate any device subscribed to the network as well as to control the provisioning of services subscribed to by the user.
As the user passes through a network to which they are not subscribed, a temporary database is created in the visiting network. The temporary user subscription information stored in the visiting network contains the same end user device information and service information, which is a subset of the information stored in the home network, together with temporary location information which includes its current position. This visiting network database enables the end user device to function within the new networks, with temporary subscription information to route and connect access for the user. Because each foray into a new network will require a stable point in time to reference, a single device usually references back to a single home location. These techniques are only relevant between networks with compatible technologies (for example CDMA or TDMA) and CAI protocols (e.g. GSM, IS-136, IEEE 802.11x).
In current networks, roaming agreements are created as a convenience for customers traveling between geographic areas. Such agreements permit the customer to use their device within a visiting network on a temporary basis and allow access to that network without operator intervention. The Home Network tells the Visiting Network what services the customer is entitled to and the Visiting Network bills the Home Network for those services (later passed on to the subscriber). In current networks, if there is no agreement with the visiting network, the user has to go through an operator to establish a temporary billing arrangement before a call is permitted.
II:
Most of today's reference architectures are of content delivery networks to accommodate wireless devices, such as (wired) broadband networks being enhanced to include wireless extensions for voice and data access. Much of the new innovation has taken the form of providing this support through enhancements to existing technologies.
However, since wireless communications now play a very major role in fulfilling daily communications needs, they should no longer be treated as just extensions of existing wired networks. As wireless communications services are available in many networks with different characteristics (e.g. radio technologies, operating spectrum, bandwidths, signaling protocols, network controls, user controls, etc.), there arises the need to make the access to these different wireless networks as simple and easy as possible for the user. The advances thus far in internetworking for the most part have been applied to large scale wireless networks and are not accessible to in-building, campus-wide or enterprise-wide communications applications. When it is applied to small networks, it is in the form of Wireless LANS, and data only applications.
For example, multimode Radio Cards such as Nokia's recently announced type II/III PC Card indicate support for GPRS (Global Packet Radio System), HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) and 802.11b Wi-Fi compliant systems in one device. These devices promise “always on” high data rate services utilizing the packet-based (GPRS) and circuit-based (HSCSD) flavors of GSM and the Wi-Fi Wireless LAN systems. But multimode Radio Cards address the needs of roaming in data-only environments without addressing voice services. The system is also limited to GSM-related and line-of-sight wireless LAN networks. Users outside of these types of systems would have no access. There is a need to extend this roaming freedom to voice access as well as technologies other than GSM.
As another example, dual subscription services such as those enabled by SchlumbergerSema's smart cards allow two different accounts to co-exist on the same SIM card. These accounts are for GSM networks and are operated singly within the user device (phone). Dual SIM Card technology such as SIM Card Pro is an unusual solution which connects two SIM cards to one user device. The two SIM cards are connected in the user device to a virtual SIM by a cable. The two cards cannot be used simultaneously, and the user device must be reset to switch between the two.
However, manipulation of SIM card technology, also limited to GSM networks, still requires multiple cards for each phone to cover multiple networks. Dual subscription services (limited to GSM), require call forwarding between accounts to have access to both networks. While multiple SIM cards provide access to multiple networks across geographical boundaries, each change of a SIM requires a different telephone number to access the same device. The overall network that is accessible by multiple SIM cards then becomes a patchwork of networks, with clearly defined seams and boundaries, limited by the personality programmed into each card. There is a need for a device which can span multiple networks while maintaining a singular identity.
As yet another example, dual or multi-NAM devices currently available support registering a user device with a different local number in each market. The Number Assignment Module (NAM) is an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) which stores the subscriber specific parameters including the International Mobile Station Identification (IMSI) and the MIN (but not the ESN). This approach is also known as Dual Line Registration, Dual System Registration, or Dual Telephone Number. It maps two wireless numbers into a single user device allowing services from two wireless networks without incurring roaming charges in either network.
However, dual or Multi-NAM devices require multiple telephone numbers to access the networks to which they are known. A way is needed to be able to recognize the user as a home user regardless of which network they are accessing. This would allow the user to maintain a consistent look and feel across multiple networks.
Preferred Roaming Lists (PRLs) common in current networks to affect multiple registrations, are roaming agreements set up with contracted service providers in different geographical regions. A PRL is a list of five-digit System Identification Numbers (SIDs) which are unique for the service area of the provider and include network types such as Residential, Private or Public serving areas. Upon communicating with any wireless network, the Mobile Switching Center (MSC) provides its SID to the device for identification. The SID is used to distinguish between different networks (for example, “home” and “visitor”). When using a PRL, it is first checked for these other providers when the device is not in its home network. PRLs facilitate communication in foreign networks without requiring operator intervention as in the case of credit card payment.
PRLs exist within a single technology or network, and are not shared between different types of technology (such as between CDMA and TDMA). There is a need for a device that will permit the roaming between different contracted networks regardless of technology.
Other approaches, such as Global Roaming services, Protocol Gateways and Interworking Gateways, facilitate multi-network access by network enhancements which are more expensive as well as technology and network-centric.
Global Roaming services are focused on GSM. Protocol Gateways are designed to provide architectural enhancements to home network databases. Interworking Gateways are targeted at providing flexibility and scaling to very large network configurations. These approaches do not support the scalability, flexibility and accessibility required for enhanced devices.
The struggle to design End User Devices that are uncomplicated yet powerful tools for network access has resulted in specialized devices providing the most power for the least complexity in specific networks. Voice access has led in this development as the most popular technology in use. Data access is being developed as adjunct cards to computing devices such as PCs and handhelds. Video technology has not progressed as quickly in this arena. Convergence in the form of “smart” devices which support voice with limited data, has not adequately served the business market in need of maintaining a wireless experience comparable to the wired experience as a wireless device moves through different environments of rooms, buildings, states, or countries. There is a great need for a single device that retains a familiar look and feel for its user when it moves through various environments.
IP (Internet Protocol) devices require a specific port with associated IP address which provides a customized user experience. That experience cannot be duplicated at another port, even if network access exists. The user has limited capability in that environment. In a wireless solution, the user can connect to its home network through a wireless portal which does not require an associated address and have familiar and consistent access to its databases and systems.
Present-day SDR technology which facilitates the roaming across multiple network technologies does not expand to allow the user to function within those different networks as a home user. Instead, users are provided with limited access and extended billing. The frequent travelers of a multi-national corporation need universal access to their networked data and telephony services with the power to change and adapt these services in real-time.
Wireless devices (e.g. telephones) are currently designed with internal codes which only function on one network. In order to gain access to another network, connection to the previous network must be terminated and then re-established in a new network. Service constructs such as Personal 800 numbers address this issue in the wired network arena by creating a single number which locates the user wherever they may be (i.e. residential, business, mobile). However, the wireless requirement of a home area makes such a choice impossible in wireless networks currently. Wireless Number Portability has not been achieved in current networks because numbers are mapped back for routing and billing to the home network. When a user changes “homes”, the number stays with the home network and not the device. SIM cards facilitate movement between global GSM networks but also require different access (phone) numbers for each network. A new type of end user device is needed which can function without an “anchor” (home) network while providing that equivalent access across multiple networks.
It is an object of the present invention to address the deficiencies of the prior art.